This is a blog that Gardener Den created to teach and answer questions about gardening. He is going to ask other authors to give their opinions on gardening subjects and other expertise that they can write about gardening and their views on the political policies of todays world. These policies are effecting the Horticulture Industry in this country.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Organic Non-GMO Pink Lavatera - OPEN-POLLINATED
Organic Non-GMO Pink Lavatera - OPEN-POLLINATED
Tall, sturdy spires of pink blooms set off by glossy dark green foliage. Prolific large, smooth pink flowers on tall, upright stems. A garden classic with cupped flowers ideal for borders, cottage gardens and cutting for bouquets. Similar habit to hollyhocks with attractive glossy foliage; more tolerant of Japanese Beetles than other mallows. Seed should be barely covered with soil and takes 15-20 days to germinate. Carefully transplant 12-18" apart into full sun and poor soil with good drainage. 4,000 seeds/oz. Bedding plant · 3-4' tall · Annual (Lavatera trimestris)
Days to maturity: 60 days
Friday, May 6, 2016
Organic Non-GMO Crackerjack Marigold - OPEN-POLLINATED
Organic Non-GMO Crackerjack Marigold - OPEN-POLLINATED
Big, brightly-colored orange, yellow and tangerine blooms on large plants. Wide 4" blossoms are ruffled and lofty; cheerful pom-poms in various shades of sunshine with characteristic marigold fragrance. Flowers are also beautiful when dried. Often planted for a natural pest deterrent; known to repel deer, soil nematodes and many insect pests. 6,180 seeds/oz. Attracts beneficial insects · 3' tall plants · Annual (Tagetes erecta)
Days to maturity: 80 days
Organic Non-GMO Golden Yellow Zinnia - OPEN-POLLINATED
Organic Non-GMO Golden Yellow Zinnia - OPEN-POLLINATED
Fully-double gold blooms make a dazzling display in the garden. Well-branched stems provide a continuous supply of easy-to-grow 3-4" blooms that hold up well in a vase. Excellent heat and cold tolerance keep this variety productive until frost. 5M seeds/oz. Excellent cut flower · Attracts butterflies · 30-36" plants · Annual (Zinnia elegans)
Days to maturity: 75-90 days
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Organic Non-GMO Giant Purple Zinnia - OPEN-POLLINATED
Big, fully-double magenta blooms for a sophisticated statement in borders and bouquets. Huge, 4-6" purple blooms on long, sturdy stems. Disease and heat tolerant, and holds up well in the vase. Change water often for longest life. 3,400 seeds/oz. Excellent cut flower · Attracts butterflies · 40-50" plants · Annual (Zinnia elegans)
Days to maturity: 75-90 days
Organic Non-GMO Giant Coral Zinnia - OPEN-POLLINATED
Organic Non-GMO Giant Coral Zinnia - OPEN-POLLINATED
Large, fully double red-coral blooms ideal for cut flowers or bright borders. Lovely salmon-pink to coral flowers on long, sturdy stems. Huge 4" blooms. Disease and heat tolerant, and holds up well in the vase. Change water often for longest life. Direct seed or start transplants 3-4 weeks before last frost date. 3,400 seeds/oz. Excellent cut flower · Attracts butterflies · 40-50" plants · Annual (Zinnia elegans)
Days to maturity: 75-90 days
Organic Non-GMO Red Scarlet Zinnia - OPEN-POLLINATED
Organic Non-GMO Red Scarlet Zinnia - OPEN-POLLINATED
Deep scarlet blooms for an eye-catching variety superior to many others. A great cutting type with many high-quality flowers and attractive foliage. Dramatic in mass plantings. A standout for quality and cold tolerance in our trials. 3,900 seeds/oz. Excellent cut flower · Attracts butterflies · 30-36" plants · Annual (Zinnia elegans)
Days to maturity: 85 days
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Organic Non-GMO County Fair Blend Zinnias - OPEN-POLLINATED
Organic Non-GMO County Fair Blend Zinnias - OPEN-POLLINATED
Warm-toned mix of pink, orange, purple, gold, cream and scarlet blooms. An excellent cut flower that blooms until frost; the more you cut the more they grow! 2-5" blooms ideal for borders and bouquets. Heat and disease-tolerant. Zinnias last longer if you change the water in the vase every two days and keep them out of direct sunlight. 2,700 seeds/oz. Excellent cut flower · Attracts butterflies · 24-36" plants · Annual (Zinnia elegans)
Days to maturity: 75-90 days
Monday, May 2, 2016
Organic Non-GMO Touchstone Gold Beet - OPEN-POLLINATED
Organic Non-GMO Touchstone Gold Beet - OPEN-POLLINATED
Improved gold beet with mild flavor and vibrant color retained in cooking. From the breeders of Red Ace F1 and Guardsmark Chioggia comes an improved golden beet with better germination and uniformity than standard golden types, and less zoning. Attractive solid green tops quickly shade out weeds. Germinates best in warmer soil. Improved germination · Uniform shape · 3" roots (Beta vulgaris)
Days to maturity: 55 days
Improved gold beet with mild flavor and vibrant color retained in cooking. From the breeders of Red Ace F1 and Guardsmark Chioggia comes an improved golden beet with better germination and uniformity than standard golden types, and less zoning. Attractive solid green tops quickly shade out weeds. Germinates best in warmer soil. Improved germination · Uniform shape · 3" roots (Beta vulgaris)
Days to maturity: 55 days
How to grow Dwarf Blueberries in pots or containers.
Hi Gardening Friends
Growing dwarf Blueberries Plants in pots or containers for on your Patio.
Here is some information that I think will help you if you have a small space and you love blueberries. Then you can grow one of the dwarf varieties called Tophat There are many more varieties besides this one that you can grow in pots or containers. You can grow this blueberry Tophat in a pot or large container and you can have it sitting on your porch or patio. And you can amaze all of your friends with real blueberries right off the plant from your front porch or patio. Here are some other varieties that you can grow besides Tophat which is also a lowbush type which is great for growing in containers or pots. All the varieties that I recommend is below.
Dwarf Blueberries Plants varieties that you can grow in pots or containers.
Tophat dwarf blueberries are only 18 to 24" tall. Tophat produces a great tasting fruit that has a slightly tart taste of a wild blueberry. Tophat will produce white flowers in the middle of spring. Which later in the year in the middle of summer comes the berries which are tasty and plenty of the berries covering the plant. In the fall the leaves will change from a bluish green to a fiery red orange.The zones for growing Tophat is 3-8.
Vaccinium Angustifolium Lowbush Blueberries from the Wild. BB-W-6100 Botanical Name: Vaccinium angustifolium (Low bush blueberry) for commercial production and ornamental landscapes. Height of plants is 6 inches to 18 inches and spreading ourward by stolons up to many feet at maturity. the width can be controlled easily by mowing or cutting roots on the edges. Fruits are small and powder blue or black in color. The flavor is sweet with the typical wild blueberry flavor. The foliage color will vary from plant to plant; yellow, reds, fluorescent orange contrasts can be enjoyed in the landscape. This species is native to many parts of the U.S. and is widely planted as a landscape ground cover. This Blueberry variety needs to be in a 3 gallon or larger container.
Ruby Carpet ( ppaf ) BB-W-9300
Botanical Name: Vaccinium angustifolium Common Name: Ruby Carpet A lowbush selection made by HPC from the state of Maine. Height of plants will be 4 to 6 inches at maturity and spread outward to create a fall red carpet. Fruits are small up to 1500 per pound and are a light blue color to deep blue when harvested. They have a sweet flavor with no acid which is typical of the wild blueberry flavor. Autumn foliage color is outstanding deep red fluorescent. Profuse white flowers cover the plant each spring and deep green leaf color is disease resistance all summer. Ruby Carpet is selected for the form, color and resistance to dryer soil types. Propagation is prohibited.
Little Crisp- BB-W-6200.
Botanical Name:Vaccinium angustifolium Common Name: Little Crisp Plants were located in Luce County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This clone was found on the beach shore of Lake Superior and selected for its vigor and hardiness. The fruits are small at 3/16 in diameter and are a light blue in color. The foliage is bright green changing to a reddish burgundy in the autumn, with red twigs during the winter months. Tiny slender leaves remain on the plants into mid December. Plants hug the ground the ground at 8 to 10 inches at maturity. Hardiness Zone 3-7
Blue Boy-BB-W-5900.
Plants were located in Allegan County, Lower Peninsular of Michigan. Southwest Michigan is known for its profusion of blueberry species. Bluish foliage makes this an outstanding contrast in the landscape. Light blue fruits are sweet with a little acid. in the autumn the foliage colors blendto a gray, orange and burgundy. The plants spread robustly and grow to a height of 12 inches tall Hardiness Zone 4-7
Partridge Lake-BB-W-6300
Plants were located in Allegan County,Lower Peninsula of Michigan, near a small inland lake,Partridge Lake Foliage is deep green and fruits are of good flavor with a hint of acid with a sweet aroma. Autumn colors change to yellows with burgundy. Winter stems are outstanding in colors of yellows and oranges. Hardiness Zone 4-7
Green Elf-BB-W-6000
Plants were located in Allegan County, Lower Peninsula of Michigan in an open forest. Plants are very drought resistant and the foliage holds its green color all summer until fall. Colors of orange to yellow appear in the autumn. Fruits are black, which classifies it as the variety nigrum. Flavor is more acid than other Pensylvanicum clones, but the fruits are pleasant. Hardiness Zone 4-7
Blue Sunset -BB-W-8800
Plants were located in Baraga County,Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This was a clone of plants growing tight to the ground less than 4 inches. The bright blue fruits are tiny but full of flavor.The foliage in the fall is a bright orange and yellow with the colored foliage lasting into the winter. The plants have good hardiness and disease resistance. The plants are adaptable to drier sandy soils. hardiness Zone 3-7.
Leslie - BB-W-8900
The plants were found at Arvon Township, located in Baraga County. Arvon Township is the highest elevation in Michigan so these plants have survived the coldest winds and harshest climates. The foliage is a deep green during the summer season, changing to deep burgundy in the fall. The fruits are small and flavorful and very plentiful. Hardiness Zone: 3-7.
Princess Jenny - BB-W-9000
Plants were located in Baraga County,Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The fruits of this plant are deep blue, tiny, and hang in large clusters.The foliage is deep green and the fall color slowly changes to reddish-orange. The plants will grow moderately and eventually cover the ground with a solid mat 4 to 5 inches in height. Hardiness Zone 3-7
Baby Blue - BB-W-9400
Plants were found in Luce County, Upper Peninsula of Michigan. this is one of the smaller growing plants that were found in the Lake Superior area. The plants grow only to 3-4 inches, and hug the ground. The light blue fruits are of fairly large size for this little plant and are mostly light blue. the delicate green foliage changes to the deep red every fall. Hardiness Zone 3-7.
You can order your Blueberries plants from.
K.van Bourgondien & sons inc
P.O. BOX 2000
Virginia Beach,VA 23450
Now after you order your Blueberries and they arrive you need to pot them in the pot or container that they are going to grow in.
You can start to grow them in a 1 gallon container and the plants should come in a 4 inch pot container. Take it out of the pot and have the 1 gallon pot at lease half full of potting soil. and then plant the blueberry bush into the 1 gallon pot. You can also put in the pot some slow release fertilizer about one teaspoon full. Now after you are done planting the plant water it and if the plant is dormant that means it haves no leaves on the plant. You can set it on your patio. Winter care if you have your Blueberry Bush on your Patio and you live in a colder climate you will have to take your Blueberry bush indoors for the winter months if you are growing it in a pot. I hope you enjoy your Tophat Blueberry bush for many years to come. You can always transplant the Blueberries Plants after the Blueberries Plants grows for a time in a 1 gallon pot and when the plant grows out of the pot. Transplant the plant into a larger container or pot as long as the container have holes in the bottom for drainage. After that then keep the plant water and fertilized and sit back and enjoy your plant and its fruit.
What to do with your Blueberries plants in the winter months. How to care for them.
Well if you are in northern climates and you have your Blueberries plants growing in pots or containers. Well you can't leave them out over the colder winter months because being in the containers and sitting out above ground on your porch or patio. You cannot let the Blueberry plant set outside all winter with out protection when they are in a container or pot and let the roots exposed to the colder weather. Because if you let the Blueberry plants out in the open when the weather gets very cold or colder and either though the plant is in a pots or containers.The plant roots will freeze in the pots if left out in the open all winter. Most plants will then died by the next spring if left out in the sub zero weather. Because the Blueberry plants roots by then will have frozen causing of being expose to the extreme cold. How to solve this problem and keep your plants over winter and alive for the next spring and summer growing season. There are two ways that you can over winter your Blueberry plants that are in containers. First if you have an enclosed porch with windows and you can put your container of Blueberries in there for the winter months as long as the temperature is 40 degrees and higher.Remember to keep your plant water during the winter months while inside.
The Health Benefits of Wild Blueberries.The little wild ones also have a higher skin to antioxidant-rich pigment-and a better freezing blueberry, pulp ratio, More skin and less water equal to more wild Blueberry.
Wild Blueberries.Wild Blueberries they give you more than twice the numbers of berries per pound compared with cultivated Blueberries. That means when you bake with wild Blueberries your baked goods have more berries in every bite.
I really hope you enjoyed this article on Dwarf Blueberries Plants. Let me know if you try growing Dwarf Blueberries in pots or containers.
Your Gardening Friend
Gardener Den
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Why do you buy plants from the big box stores?
Why do you buy plants from the big box stores?
Hi Gardening Friends
Why do people buy plants from the big box stores? Because buying plants from
Walmart,Kmart, Home depot,Lowes or Target. You are taking business away
from your local Greenhouse and Nursery. All of the Big Box Stores don't grow their plants. They buy them from large growers that are not in your local area Like I live in the North East so you should buy plants that were grow in your area not from large box stores that get them in from the South or a area
that you don't live in but a part of the country that is warmer than your area.
So when they ship the plants to your area they are not acustom to the climate of your area and the plants are most of the time ahead of the growing season in your area. What the big box stores want is to make money. But they don't care about your growing area you live in is weeks behind the plants that they are selling? I have been at my local box stores and they have spring flowering plants in and it is snowing they are pushing the season for planting way before its time.
If you buy from your local greenhouse or nursery they are mostly family owned and the owners are members of your local community. Also when you go to the big box stores like target, walmart,lowes and home depot the employees are mostly uneducated in what plants the store is selling all they care about is getting their paycheck. Most of the big box stores use their garden center
as a loss leader. What is meant by that is they get you to buy your plants then when you are done buying at the garden center department they get you to go through the remaider of the store to get check out. When you do this you will mostly be buying alot of the other items in the store. They really don't have
the employees that are expects in the field of horticulture that you need to answer your gardening questions. The employees that work at the big box stores some of them that answer the telephone can't even answer your question or take a message. I call my local walmart and they couldn't even take and give their manager a message to call me back? What is wrong with these stores and their customers service departments? When you go to your local greenhouse or garden center the person that you most likely to deal with is the owner and they are very happy to answer any of your questions. They are very professional and well educated in their field of expertise.
I think the next time you want to buy plants think before you buy and become a educated customer or consumer. I hope this helps you out in the next time you purchase plants at your local garden center.
Happy Gardening
Gardener Den
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